Outreach: Small is often Better Than Big

When over two hundred people showed up for the Christmas outreach we were understandably excited. The combined membership of our two new churches in Kyushu was about ten (including the missionaries) so this was a big event for us. We rented a nice room in a local mall, had decorations, music, a gospel message, and everyone received bags of homemade goodies prepared by the church ladies. It seemed to have been a great success.

However, there were problems: the church ladies complained that it had been too much work; there was disappointment that no one had gotten saved; the event cost more than we could afford; it wore us out. I tried to follow up on the new contacts we made but when I called a few of them they clearly did not like the intrusion.

Several years later we were on staff with a new church in Yokosuka. At this church we established a “Gospel Live House.” The concept is from mainstream “Live Houses” popular in Japan which are venues with live music, food and drinks.

We held our “Gospel Live House” four times a year. It was easy to create a relaxed atmosphere in our church by moving out most of the chairs, adding some tables, and providing simple homemade snacks and drinks. We had a live performance and charged 500 yen per person.

The quality and type of music varied a lot. One time we had smooth jazz by skilled musicians. Another time an awful rock band from a local college performed. We never had preaching on the program. Usually, one of the performers would share a short testimony and most, but not all, of the music had gospel themes.

We had a lot of fun with our Gospel Live Houses and they were one of the reasons that we had a thriving church. This was effective outreach. Why did it work out so well?

Doable: The quarterly rhythm did not wear us out and gave us adequate time to prepare for the next one. We held it in the church and it did not require a big staff; the 500 yen per person cover charge paid most, if not all, expenses.

Consistent: People looked forward to the next Gospel Live House. They knew what to expect so they were able to relax and enjoy themselves.

Contextual: What we did and how we did it was appropriate for our church and for our community, it was a good “fit” for our situation. Almost any wholesome activity that a few people in your community are interested in can be a means of gathering people.

Relational: Rather than gathering a large crowd so we could preach at them (very few people like to be preached at and those that do are almost ALL in the church already) we tried to build relationships. The warm atmosphere made it possible to get to know individuals, to become friends and to let them know that we cared about them.

Enjoyable: Did I say it was a lot of fun? This was an important reason people kept coming back and why they brought their friends. We all enjoyed it.

Are big events bad? No, they have their place and can work well.

The good news is, small groups can effectively do outreach because intimate gatherings are often better for building relationships. The single most important factor is genuine love for people. If we don’t have that, we have nothing. And, how we do outreach is not nearly as important as caring, really caring about people which always involves sacrifice.

Article Featuring Ken Taylor

Last month, Studio Re: and Hallelujah Gospel Family worked together to do a film shoot of a large concert featuring approximately 300 singers in a Japanese black gospel choir.

The feature of the night was a fusion piece between gospel music and Japanese wa-daiko. You can read more about that in a post on this blog written by guest-writer Jefferey Timmer entitled Black Gospel Music in Japan... and the questions that come with it.

Recently, CAN founding member and leader of the Hallelujah Gospel Family network, Ken Taylor, was featured in a news story by ANS News. The article is called "How 'Sister Act' has inspired the formation of 30 Japanese Gospel Choirs run by a Filipino former night club entertainer who found Christ."

It's a long title, but a good article. Check it out here: http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2009/s09070045.htm

Wadaiko/Black Gospel Fusion in Tokyo

Hey Everyone, I (Jonathan Herring) have been working with Paul and 'Studio Re:' for a little over two months. I have had a great time! I am excited to tell you about a project we have been working on that involves God, drums, and a Japanese choir.

Studio Re: has been advancing a project that will be filmed on June 20 in Tokyo. We will shoot an entire concert of Black Gospel Choir music but our main purpose is to create a music video of one specific song during the concert. That song will be a fusion of two distinct Japanese styles of music. One is Wadaiko (also known as Taiko), which is an intense, elaborate, Japanese drumming performance. It has deep roots in ancient Japanese culture, going further back than even Buddhism's arrival in Japan. Wadaiko is full of energy and incredibly engaging to watch. The bride to this groom may surprise you; Black Gospel Choir. But this couple isn't too diametric as Gospel Choir music has some of the same rhythmic and energetic qualities as Wadaiko. Gospel Choir is also quite popular in Japan. Since the movie 'Sister Act' The Japanese people have grown a love and fascination for Gospel music and it has become a mainstream art.

As far as we know, a fusion of Wadaiko and Gospel Choir has never been done in Japan (or any where else for that matter). But having seen a good bit of both, I think the fruit they produce will be extraordinary. By filming this concert, and by making a short documentary to go along with it, we hope to achieve a number of important things:

1. The developing of relationships with the members of the Wadaiko group, none of whom are believers. We want to show them God's love and through this film promote and bless their group. The same goes for those in the gospel choir; there will be about 600 choir members involved in the entire concert, perhaps 100 of them are Christians. Yes that's right, 500 people will be singing praise to God, 500 people who don't yet know God, but nevertheless find themselves glorifying Him.

2. As Christians we can make a huge impact on the culture by being at the forefront of art and music. Since a collaboration of Wadaiko and Gospel Choir has not been done before, we believe with its success, many windows will be opened to permeate the Japanese culture with art that overflows with the heart of Christ.

3. The leaders and directors of the concert and film are believers. Though the participants might not know it, they will be glorifying God and through film we will be able to show that to the world.

We see a lot of potential in this project, and I am thankful for the opportunity to be a part of making it happen. Here is teaser of what a Wadaiko and Gospel Choir fusion might look like, so please take a look and tell us what you think.

Manga Mutiny - One Step Closer

As some of you may know, I (Scot) work as a proofreader/editor for NEXT Manga, publisher of the Manga Messiah series. I just wanted to put in a quick note for all who have been waiting for Manga Mutiny. The Japanese version has been out for quite some time now, and the English version is nearing completion. We finished the main bulk of the editing last night, and are now just waiting for Tyndale's (the US Publisher's) input. When that's done, we'll do some last-minute touch-ups, and then it will be ready for print!

For those who are new, back in 2006, New Life League Japan started it's branch called "NEXT Manga," publishing a book called "Manga Messiah." This was a 280-page full-color retelling of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) in the style of Japanese Manga (similar to American Comics). Last year, we released Manga Metamorphosis, giving the book of Acts the same treatment. This year, we are releasing Manga Mutiny, which tells the story all the way from the creation of the world to the parting of the Red Sea during the Exodus, spending a majority of its time on Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. This will be followed up with another volume next year which will tell the rest of the Exodus. Despite being a bit biased, let me say that these books just continue to get better with every release. In my opinion, Mutiny is the best yet, and is leagues above any other books of its kind.

Also, NEXT has just released a smaller, 64-page version of Manga Messiah simply known as "The Messiah." This was done as a low-cost way to meet the needs of pastors and missionaries who like to distribute these in bulk. Head over to the NEXT Website for more information. And be sure to check the "Testimonials" page for some inspiring stories.

Billy Graham: "A Spiritual Gift to All"

I have grown up "knowing" Billy Graham. He has been an important influence in my life so this article meant a lot to me. Perhaps more than any other person who is both a Christian and a world-famous celebrity Billy Graham has lived a life of integrity. He is a genuine, 24/7 worshiper of Jesus who offered his life to God.

This article pays tribute to Billy at the time of the dedication of the new Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, N.C. LINK to TIME Article: Billy Graham: "A Spiritual Gift to All"

Evangelicals Make Declaration Against Torture

I am thrilled that the NAE is taking a stand on this important issue!

The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), which represents about 45,000 churches across America, endorsed a declaration against torture drafted by 17 evangelical scholars....The document on human rights quotes the Bible, Pope John Paul II and Elie Wiesel among other authorities. It particularly condemns the indefinite detention of suspects without trial.

"We believe that a scrupulous commitment to human rights, among which is the right not to be tortured, is one of these Christian moral convictions."
Link to Full Article

The "Manga Messiah" Cometh -- The Gospel Story Through Japanese Eyes

“Bible Manga,” a series of five books by Japanese artists, is reaching an international audience. Published by New Life League, Japan (NLLJ) the English version of "The Manga Messiah" is available now. The Japanese version will be published sometime in 2008.

BIBLE MANGA SITE

An interview with Roald Lidal, General Director of New Life League, Japan (NLLJ)

By Paul Nethercott

PN: Why "Bible Manga" and why now?
RL: The original vision for our manga project was to reach Japanese youth for Christ. This has since been expanded. Our goal now is to use the extremely popular Japanese manga genre to reach youth worldwide with the Gospel. Our plan is to publish five books in the Manga Bible series – three from the OT and two from the NT. We wanted to start with what we consider the most important part – the Gospel story so “Manga Messiah” is our first publication in the series. We believe young people today are open to questions about why they are here, what is the meaning of it all, and where they are going. The manga books give them the answers in a form they will read and understand.

PN: What do you mean by “youth?”
RL: The target audience is middle and high school students. However, we believe our manga books will be read by university students, by younger kids, and by their parents.

PN: How long have you been working on this project?
RL: We started working on this project over two years ago, and the English version of (the first book) “Manga Messiah” was completed a few months ago. The first 100,000 have been distributed in the Philippines. Translation is going on in at least 15 languages and more are being added. We are very excited over the tremendous response we are receiving and we are looking forward with great anticipation as to how the Lord will use this unique tool of evangelism.

PN: Is it correct that the original language is Japanese?
Yes, everything was first written in Japanese and then translated into English, which then became the base for all other languages.

PN: When will the Japanese version be published?
RL: The Japanese version of Manga Messiah will be out by late summer of 2007, and the next book from the NT as well as the first book from the OT by the beginning of 2008.

PN: Who are the artists, how did you find them?
RL: God led us to the artists through a series of events. Shinozawa San (main artist) became a Christian while attending art school in New York. She returned to Japan and didn’t want to continue drawing the kind of materials she had worked on as a non-Christian. That is when we heard of her and she was delighted to start working with us. In fact, she said it was an answer to prayer. Kumai San is a professional scriptwriter with whom we got in contact through a friend of a friend. Likewise, God really led us to the OT artist, Azumi San.

PN: What challenges are you facing?
RL: We face the issue of financial support for substantial development cost. Next, we have the challenge of biblical and historical accuracy, avoiding religiosity, and centering on THE STORY of the Bible. We desire to make an evangelistic tool, not simply to tell Bible stories. Since we are talking of worldwide distribution, we are facing numerous challenges, like which publishers to choose, translator issues, and cultural differences. Finally, we have the question of marketing to publishers, organizations, and readers.

PN: How do you plan to market/distribute NEXT in Japan?
RL: The marketing plan in Japan is still in the development stage. While we naturally want to sell the books through both Christian and mainstream channels, we are also working with mission and outreach organizations with the goal of them using the Bible-based manga books in their programs. In addition, we want to make use of the Internet and any possible channels (it provides) to get these books into the hands of young people.

PN: How about the response of mainstream Japanese youth, do you have any indication of how they receive Manga Messiah?
RL: We really don’t know at this stage what the response will be like in Japan. Japanese youth are naturally somewhat spoiled when it comes to manga, but we believe these books have great potential.

The English edition of “Manga Messiah” (retail price: ¥850) can be ordered directly from NLLJ. The price of the Japanese version is undecided, but NLLJ will be selling it in bulk for very close to the production cost.

New Life League, Japan
170 Kumai, Hatoyama Machi,
Saitama Ken 350-0397 Japan
Tel.: 049 296 0727
Fax: 049 296 6515
Web: New Life League Japan Home Page

Critical Issues Facing the Church in Japan

Here is a list of critical issues facing Christians in Japan. I plan to expand on each item but want to get the list "out there" and invite readers to comment.

1. The relationship of the church (all believers) to the mainstream culture of Japan.
2. Communicating the gospel effectively to not-yet-Christian, mainstream Japanese in ways that they can receive it. Closely linked to this is the desperate need for a new Bible Translation that "connects" with younger Japanese.
3. The perception that Christianity is Western, the Western "face" of Christianity in Japan.
4. The need to rapidly develop new leaders.
5. The entrenched attitude that very few Japanese are interested in the gospel. This results in negativity that affects every aspect of life and ministry. Specifically, it results in a failure to connect with the large number of Japanese who are indeed open to the gospel.

Is Japan "Postmodern?"

"Yes".... and "no"... but, mostly "no."

The popular terms "modern" and "postmodern" are grounded in Western history and culture. So, unless Japan has been thouroghly Westernized over the past five hundred years, Japan can't be labeled either "modern" or "post-modern." The label "pre-modern" is a much better fit for Japan.

There is a small percentage of Japanese who could be labeled "modern" because thier thinking has been strongly influenced by Western ideas. This type of person tends to be very well-educated and has spent time living in the West. They are far more likely than the average Japanese to make logical arguments based on reason.

One extremely interesting aspect of this discussion is that "postmodern" Westerners and "pre-modern" Japanese share a lot of similarities with each other. In other words, the West is moving East.

What does this mean for the church in Japan which has been so heavily influenced by modernism?

How do we effectively present the gospel to "pre-modern" Japanese?

Here is an excellent article on postmodernism:
TOWARD A THEOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF POSTMODERNISM by Daniel J. Adams

Contemplations on the Gospel by Roger Lowther

“Christ as Savior and Judge” was painted around 1450 by Petrus Christus in order to meditate on the gospel. Just over four inches high, this tiny painting grabs your attention with a halo shooting from Christ’s head like fireworks and the provocative display of Christ’s wounds. Set like a theater, it portrays Christ as the lead character, taking center stage in the story of life. Two angels in the background look our way from the curtain. One is holding the sword of judgement, a reminder that having been driven out of the garden of intimacy with God, someone would have to be cut down in order to restore the relationship. The other holds the lilies of mercy, nicknamed the “white robed apostles of hope.” They are frequently used in weddings to symbolize purity and life. Shaped like large trumpets, they are also used as symbols of Easter heralding the resurrection. The symbolism of Easter lilies goes even deeper when you consider their beginnings as small dirty bulbs that look like trash to the untrained eye. Planted in the ground, these tomb-like pieces burst forth from the ground with beauty and majesty. Christ standing in front of both holds his hand in front of the sword of judgement to show the cause of His wounds. The light source shining from the left and the gentle nod of Christ’s head towards the lilies encourage us to accept His sacrifice of mercy and to accept Him.

Worship: Is Your focus on God?

“The primary factor in worship concerns not the structure, nor the style, but the content. For worship to be biblical and Christian, the story of God’s redemption and salvation must be its content. Otherwise it ceases to be Christian worship.” Robert Webber

The most disturbing worship service I’ve attended took place at an evangelical church in the USA. It was America’s Independence Day (July 4th) and this church was ready. The opening video clip showed the Statue of Liberty, fireworks along with images of the Bible and the cross. The worship team appeared on-stage in, you guessed it, red, white and blue outfits. The “worship music” praised the USA, which prompted our six-year-old daughter to ask, “Mommy, why are they singing about America instead of Jesus?” The worship leader took the role of a cheerleader, as he worked the crowd into excitement over Independence Day. It was amazing. He even said, “We are here today to celebrate the USA and…Jesus too.” I was shocked. You may be asking “what’s wrong with Patriotism?” Nothing really, it is a normal and moral thing to have patriotic feelings for one’s country. In fact, morals of all kinds are extremely important to the proper functioning of society, but Moralism is different from morals.

Moralism is the explicit or implicit teaching that one must Be Like…, Be Good, Be Disciplined (Bryan Chapell, Christ–Centered Preaching, pp. 281-284). Chapell also says, “The primary problem with Moralism is not what is said but what is not said…the difference between presenting principles and a person.” Since Moralism is the default setting of humans, every Christian struggles with the problem of reducing Christianity to a set of moral principles. This is what the Pharisees, archetypical Moralists of Biblical proportions, did. They were proud people who were sure that they were “right” and better than others. In contrast, those who really “get” the gospel are deeply aware of their broken state. “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner,” is their heart’s cry. The Apostle Paul looked down on no one because he viewed himself as the “chief of sinners.” He would say the same today, even in relation to the members of the most despised group on the planet, the group some think it is OK to dehumanize, hate and torture -- Al Qaeda.

Moralism in worship is not a “far off” problem peculiar to Americans. I have attended worship services at evangelical churches in Japan where I left thinking, “a Confucianist could have preached that message.” In most cases, the people responsible would be horrified if they realized what they had communicated. In other words, even if we firmly believe the Gospel, even if we think we have Christ-centered worship services, it is very easy to miss the mark. I asked myself, “Of the hundreds of messages I have given over the years, how many were moralistic “be” lectures that failed to focus on the great meta-narrative, the story of God's redemption?” Lord, have mercy…

The American Pastor John MacArthur identifies the issues: “The mandate for the Christian (is) the ministry of reconciliation to God through Christ, which brings about righteousness, transformation, and a new creation. There is, however, today in Christianity, in its evangelical element, an emphasis on another kind of effort. It is an effort to produce morality...”

Clarity about the purpose of corporate worship helps us to stay focused. Corporate worship is a time for God’s people (the church) to receive God’s revelation and respond appropriately to Him. It is an opportunity for the people of God to retell and relive the great stories of faith (past, present and future ones). The elements of corporate worship we find in the Bible (offering, silence, Scripture reading, message, testimonies, communion, baptism, fellowship, music, visuals, dance and drama) are all means of encountering and/or responding appropriately to God. Clearly, the means themselves are not worship. They are “ways” for us to hear from God, “connect” with Him, and express the adoration (worship) we have in our hearts.

How can we stay focused on our purpose in corporate worship?

1. Find at least one brave person who will give you honest feedback on your services. You may have to train someone; this would be a great opportunity for mentoring others.

2. Ask: “Could a Mormon (or Jehovah Witness or Muslim) agree with my message? For example, Mormons also have good, strong “family values.” Therefore, if your message is on family/marriage issues and the music is patriotic, it is possible that a Mormon would agree with 100% of your service!

3. Ask: “Does the music focus on faith, salvation, the cross, Jesus and other redemptive themes? Choosing good hymns is not difficult as there are many outstanding “classics.” Due to the volume of new material, choosing good “Gospel-driven” worship songs is a lot more challenging. Quality is “spotty” producing some outstanding worship songs, and others that should never be projected on a screen. Good ones that are available in Japanese, include: “Lord I Lift Your Name on High,” “All Hail King Jesus,” “Shout to the Lord,” “The Power of Your Love,” “How Majestic is Your is Your Name,” and “Majesty.” There are also some excellent songs by Japanese composers including: “威光、尊厳、栄誉；主の前に；十字架のほかに and 子羊イエスを。

4. Ask: “Does the flow of my service reflect the Biblical model of revelation and response?” (See Isaiah 6:1-9 where Isaiah responds to revelation). Musically, two hymns followed by a worship song would be revelation and response.

5. Ask: “Does every worship service at my church celebrate the great historical acts of salvation?” The preeminent acts of salvation are the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Every Old Testament story is part of redemptive history though and relates to the Gospel “meta-narrative.” If we don’t “get to” Jesus, we have probably been Moralistic.

6. Visual art can be effective in reinforcing the message of the gospel. Christian symbols, images of Biblical stories, and video clips are all available on the Internet.

7. Read Scripture! One researcher, who visited dozens of churches in her study, found that many churches spent three or four times more time on announcements than on the reading of Scripture.

8. Include an emphasis on public prayer. Prayer can also receive very little time in our services, unless we are intentional about it.

9. It may seem mechanical, but time what you do in your services. How much Scripture is actually read? How much time do you spend in prayer? The time we take for something is a strong indicator of importance we place on it.

10. Make the Lord’s Supper an integral part of your service. Most of us under-use this God-given means of responding to the revelation of God. A few ideas on how to make communion more meaningful:

• Think of communion as drama. Communion is a re-enactment of Jesus’ sacrifice, designed for those of us who need more than just words in our worship experience.
• Think of the role of hospitality in communion. It is a time to invite people to enter into the presence of Christ, to sit with Him at his table and have fellowship with Him.
• Weave the meaning and theme of communion into the whole service – instead of just tacking it on to the end of the service.
• Thoughtfully change how you conduct the distribution of the bread and wine. If your congregation always sits to receive communion, have them come forward instead.
• Using a loaf of fresh baked bread can be very meaningful, especially if it is broken in front of everyone. The smell can also remind us that, “Jesus is the bread of life.”

For those of us concerned about immorality, injustice, poverty, and other issues, the most important thing we can do is lead people into worship of Jesus Christ. Why? Because, like Isaiah, when we meet the Lord Almighty we are changed. We will be renewed, deeply aware of our brokenness as well as the Holy God who has declared us clean and forgiven.

The Gospel, not Moralism, is what will change us, and the world. Lord, have mercy.

Related Resources on the Web

• Videos: http://www.sermonspice.com/ has low priced (some free) downloadable clips
• Images (huge selection available free of charge) go to http://www.google.com/
  click on “images” and enter a search word of your choice such as “communion” or “cross.”
  
• Here is a link to an article describing one evangelical pastor's position on how the church should relate to country and politics: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/30/us/30pastor.html?ex=1154664000&en=304c373abd2cc406&ei=5087%0A/